Housed in an eye-catching new structure overlooking the San Diego Freeway, the West Coast's preeminent Jewish cultural center and museum has taken selections from its vast repository of artifacts and art objects and arranged them into an impressive permanent exhibition. Displays describe and interpret the beliefs and rites of the Jewish religion, and chronicle the tumultuous history of the faith from its origin to the present.Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the gleaming structure contrasts earthen colors of pink stone, gray concrete and green slate with a reflective, stainless-steel roof. Galleries for permanent and temporary exhibitions, a museum store, a restaurant, an auditorium and educational facilities occupy the interior. To the left of the main entrance lies the museum's permanent exhibition Visions and Values: Jewish Life from Antiquity to America. Large galleries on the upper level host temporary exhibits of art and history, while the Discovery Center (lower level) presents biblical archaeology, inviting young visitors to explore ancient Judaism through artifacts and activities.